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SHORE LINE GOES TO PRESS DAY
North Carolina Aquarium Press Day was another big hit. Lucky reporters were intro-
•duced to a sea turtle, treated to a press conference, featuring not only Ned Smith, the
Director of the N. C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, but also Dr. Michael Orbach, Chairman
of the N. C. Marine Science Council. [He spoke to us about the feasibility study being
conducted on phosphate mining off our coast, and about legislation pending in the General
Assembly regarding aquaculture.] Then we sat down to a fine seafood lunch before going
out on a collecting cruise, during which two turtles were released to go back to their
families and friends in the deep. Regular cruises of this sort are open to all, by the
way. One must register ahead and there is a fee. [Call 247-4003]
Ned Smith made a special point of thanking the many volunteers who do so much, and
he'd welcome more. The PKS Garden Club recently got national attention for its attractive
plant program at the Aquarium.
What kept really buzzing round in my head [if one can excuse, for a moment, the
editorial "me"] was how magnificent it is to have this aquarium so near. I have this
uneasy feeling that there are too many PKS'ers who haven't taken advantage of all the
aquarium has to offer. Granted, some of us drive our guests over for a quick look-around,
[382,000] people saw it in 1986!] but my goodness, there is a whole wonderful calendar
of stuff to do there all year long. And it's so easy to get to. No bridge. No major
traffic problems. We've got to go more often. Choose from this list: live animal pro
grams, lectures, films, field trips, boat trips, behind the scene tours, slide talks,
children's programs, seafood programs, touch tank talks, teacher workshops, outrecchpro
grams and more. For exact dates, pick up the calendar at the Aquarium; while you're
there, buy a few neat shark T-shirts for faraway friends, or a book or a poster or two.
On Press Day the emphasis was on turtles. We learned that there are six species of
those guys found in the western Atlantic Ocean. On the boat trip one larger turtle who'd
•been found ailing and was now in tip-top shape, was carried on board on a little stretcher,
all covered with a wet terry cloth towel to keep him damp until his turn came to slip into
the water. As he was quite heavy, cameras had to be ready when the stretc];er vras tipped
over and he slid off. The other was a smaller fellow, and he was held up by staff members
for photos before he went down to the sea. There's a sea turtle exhibit coming to the
Aquarium this fall.
The results of the 1987 Bogue Banks Photography Competition were announced on Press
Day, too, and that exhibit alone is worth a trip to the aguarium. Then, before we know
it, Hurricane Awareness Week is upon us [August 17-22]. And, don't forget the branch of
the Carteret County Public Library that's in the Aquarium, too.
It sure is fun to be the Press when a day like Aquarium Press Day comes along. Wish
the Shore Line printed photos; I have some goodies!
MARY DOLL
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TEN YEARS AGO IN THE SHORE LINE
New neighbors welcomed were Virginia and Frank Phillips, Evelyn and Ted McCord,
Marty and Ray Hare and Shelli and Stanley Livingston.
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